Luck Was Lacking, But Valor Was Not begins by examining a number of factors relating to the Italian army's performance in the desert, including assessments of the Italian soldier, leadership, training, organization and structure, equipment, the supply situation in North Africa, the ability of the Italian air force to support ground operations, and an appreciation of Italo-German relations in North Africa. It then describes the combat operations of Italian forces in the desert beginning with the early advance from Libya into Egypt in September 1940 and ending with the final Italian surrender to the Allies in Tunisia in May 1943. The extensive appendices focus on organization and equipment, with tables comparing Italian, British and German armor and artillery in the desert. Taken as a whole, this volume presents an account of Italian ground operations in North Africa, from the time of their initial trouncing at the hands of the British Western desert Force in early 1941, through the
